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11.4 Products that Make Challenges to a Recycler
11.4.1 Solar Panel
In private as well as in industrial markets, solar panels are considered as generally
known product worldwide. The polyvinyl panels installed in 1990’s are on the verge
of expiry which may not find a suitable recycling factility. Polyvinyl panels are
based on silicon and a small number of rare earth metals such as cadmium, tellurium, indium, or gallium, which mostly ends in landfills, and 10% of polyvinyl
panels are recycled in recycler’s point of view. In this case, polyvinyl panels are not
considered as environmental contaminants. Some researchers demonstrated that in
the next few years, there will be a vast dumping of polyvinyl panels due to the
installation of the massive amount of panels currently (Choi and Fthenakis 2014,
Bustamante and Gaustad 2014).
11.4.2 Liquid Crystal Display and Cathode-Ray Tube Monitors
According to European Union waste electrical and electronics, cathode-ray tube
and liquid crystal display technologies are considered hazardous substance. In liquid crystal display, panels and the backlights, which contain mercury, are considered as hazardous. The UK Environmental Agency in 2010 stated that “liquid crystal
displays”, which do not contain mercury backlights, are considered as non-hazardous. From the statement, it is concluded that key elements which make liquid crystal
display a hazardous component are backlight containing mercury, and other hazardous substances are polyvinyl butyral and brominated flame retardants. It consists of
three types of glass and the electron gun. As the image formation process occurs
within a cathode-ray tube, it is considered as the main component in the monitor. In
addition, cathode-ray tube is considered as the heaviest component comprising of
60% of the total weight in the monitor (Veit and Bernardes 2015), and it is composed of 85% of glass, which is located in the front panel (65%), funnel (30%), and
neck glass (5%). Silica, alumina, lime, magnesia, boric acid, etc. (Herat 2008) are
considered as main components of glass. In order to capture the escape of radiation
from the tube, lead is added to the glass, and the panel glass contains barium. The
lead content in the glass also makes glass as a hazardous material. The glasses in the
cathode-ray tube are processed to bricks, nuclear waste encapsulation, construction
aggregates, decorative tile, fluxing agent, and sandblasting medium (Guo et al.
2010a, b). The leaching of lead, barium, and other toxic materials present in the
glass causes environmental risk. Leads are found to be toxic to kidneys, and its
accumulation in our body affects the nervous and reproductive systems. High dosage results in haemorrhage and brain oedema. Nearly 40% of lead is from landfills,
which are from electrical and electronic equipment (UNEP 2014).
11 Sustainable Electronic-Waste Management: Implications on Environmental…
11.4 Products that Make Challenges to a Recycler
11.4.1 Solar Panel
In private as well as in industrial markets, solar panels are considered as generally
known product worldwide. The polyvinyl panels installed in 1990’s are on the verge
of expiry which may not find a suitable recycling factility. Polyvinyl panels are
based on silicon and a small number of rare earth metals such as cadmium, tellurium, indium, or gallium, which mostly ends in landfills, and 10% of polyvinyl
panels are recycled in recycler’s point of view. In this case, polyvinyl panels are not
considered as environmental contaminants. Some researchers demonstrated that in
the next few years, there will be a vast dumping of polyvinyl panels due to the
installation of the massive amount of panels currently (Choi and Fthenakis 2014,
Bustamante and Gaustad 2014).
11.4.2 Liquid Crystal Display and Cathode-Ray Tube Monitors
According to European Union waste electrical and electronics, cathode-ray tube
and liquid crystal display technologies are considered hazardous substance. In liquid crystal display, panels and the backlights, which contain mercury, are considered as hazardous. The UK Environmental Agency in 2010 stated that “liquid crystal
displays”, which do not contain mercury backlights, are considered as non-hazardous. From the statement, it is concluded that key elements which make liquid crystal
display a hazardous component are backlight containing mercury, and other hazardous substances are polyvinyl butyral and brominated flame retardants. It consists of
three types of glass and the electron gun. As the image formation process occurs
within a cathode-ray tube, it is considered as the main component in the monitor. In
addition, cathode-ray tube is considered as the heaviest component comprising of
60% of the total weight in the monitor (Veit and Bernardes 2015), and it is composed of 85% of glass, which is located in the front panel (65%), funnel (30%), and
neck glass (5%). Silica, alumina, lime, magnesia, boric acid, etc. (Herat 2008) are
considered as main components of glass. In order to capture the escape of radiation
from the tube, lead is added to the glass, and the panel glass contains barium. The
lead content in the glass also makes glass as a hazardous material. The glasses in the
cathode-ray tube are processed to bricks, nuclear waste encapsulation, construction
aggregates, decorative tile, fluxing agent, and sandblasting medium (Guo et al.
2010a, b). The leaching of lead, barium, and other toxic materials present in the
glass causes environmental risk. Leads are found to be toxic to kidneys, and its
accumulation in our body affects the nervous and reproductive systems. High dosage results in haemorrhage and brain oedema. Nearly 40% of lead is from landfills,
which are from electrical and electronic equipment (UNEP 2014).
11 Sustainable Electronic-Waste Management: Implications on Environmental…